 | Term | Definition |
| |
tacit |
understood (without actually being expressed); not put into words; Ex. tacit agreement |
| |
n taciturn |
habitually silent; talking little |
| |
tactile |
pertaining to the organs or sense of touch |
| |
s tact |
skill or sensitivity in dealing with people without causing offence |
| |
n taint |
contaminate; cause to lose purity; modify with a trace of something bad; Ex. tainted reputation; N: stain; touch of decay or bad influence; CF. touch |
| |
n talisman |
charm; object believed to give supernatural powers to or protect its bearer |
| |
n talon |
claw of bird |
| |
n tangential |
only slightly connected; not central; peripheral; digressing; showing divergence; CF. tangent |
| |
tangible |
able to be touched; real; concrete; palpable; possible to realize or understand; Ex. tangible proof |
| |
n tanner |
person who turns animal hides into leather |
| |
s tan |
convert (hide) into leather; make brown by exposure to the sun |
| |
n tantalize |
tease; excite by exposing something desirable while keeping it out of reach; torture with disappointment; CF. Tantalus: Greek mythological figure |
| |
n tantamount |
equivalent in effect or value; Ex. This invasion is tantamount to a declaration of war; CF. amount |
| |
n tantrum |
fit of bad temper; fit of petulance; caprice; Ex. The child went into tantrums. |
| |
n taper |
very thin candle; gradual decrease in the width of a long object; V. make or become gradually narrower toward one end |
| |
n tarantula |
venomous spider |
| |
n tarry |
linger; delay in starting or going; dawdle |
| |
n taut |
tight; strained; tense; ready; OP. slack |
| |
n tautological |
needlessly repetitious; Ex. ``It was visible to the eye''; N. tautology: needless repetition of the same sense; statement that is always true |
| |
n tawdry |
cheap and gaudy; Ex. tawdry jewelry |
| |
taxonomist |
specialist in classifying (animals, etc.); CF. taxonomy: science of classification |
| |
tedium |
boredom; weariness; ADJ. tedious |
| |
n teetotalism |
practice of abstaining totally from alcoholic drinks; N. teetotaler;; ADJ. teetotal; CF. T + total |
| |
temerity |
boldness; nerve; rashness; Ex. temerity to ask for a pay increase after only three day's work |
| |
temper |
moderate; make less severe; tone down or restrain; toughen (steel) as by alternate heating and cooling |
| |
temperament |
characteristic frame of mind; disposition; emotional excess; ADJ. temperamental: of temperament; having frequent changes of temper; Ex. temperamental dislike of sports; Ex. temperamental actress |
| |
temperate |
moderate; restrained; self-controlled; moderate in respect to temperature; CF. temperance: moderation and self-restraint; abstinence of alcoholic drinks; Ex. temperance society |
| |
n tempestuous |
stormy; violent; impassioned; N. tempest: violent storm |
| |
tempo |
speed of music |
| |
n temporal |
of time; not lasting forever; limited by time; temporary; secular; worldly |
| |
n temporize |
gain time as by postponing an action; avoid committing oneself |
| |
tenacious |
holding fast (as to a belief); persistent |
| |
tenacity |
firmness; persistence |
| |
n tendentious |
promoting a particular point of view; biased; having an aim; designed to further a cause; Ex. tendentious rather than truth-seeking; CF. tend: move in a certain direction |
| |
tender |
offer formally; extend; Ex. tender one's resignation/the exact fare; N: formal offer; money; Ex. legal tender; ADJ: young and vulnerable; sensitive to the touch; sore; soft; delicate; Ex. child of tender years; Ex. tender wound |
| |
tenet |
doctrine; dogma |
| |
n tensile |
capable of being stretched; of tension; Ex. tensile rubber |
| |
s tension |
stretching; condition of being stretched; mental strain; strained relationship between groups or people |
| |
n tentative |
not fully worked out or developed; provisional; experimental; uncertain; hesitant; not definite or positive; Ex. tentative agreement/reply |
| |
n tenuous |
thin; slim; rare |
| |
tenure |
holding of an office or real estate; time during which such an office is held |
| |
n tepid |
lukewarm; slightly warm; ¹ÌÁö±ÙÇÑ; half-hearted; not eager; Ex. tepid reaction to the new film; Ex. tepid supporter |
| |
termination |
end; V. terminate |
| |
terminology |
terms used in a science or art; study of nomenclature |
| |
n terminus |
last stop of railroad; end |
| |
s terminal |
part that forms the end; railroad or bus station; ADJ. forming an end; ending in death; fatal; Ex. terminal cancer |
| |
terrestrial |
on or relating to the earth |
| |
terse |
concise; abrupt; pithy |
| |
n tertiary |
third in order or rank |
| |
n tessellated |
mosaic; inlaid; Ex. tessellated pattern |
| |
n testator |
maker of a will; CF. testatrix |
| |
n testy |
irritable; impatient and bad-tempered; short-tempered; N. testiness |
| |
n tether |
tie (an animal) with a rope or tether; N: rope or chain to which an animal is tied; limit of one's endurance; Ex. the end of one's tether |
| |
thematic |
of a theme; relating to a unifying motif or idea |
| |
theocracy |
government run by religious leaders |
| |
theoretical |
based on theory; not practical or applied; hypothetical |
| |
therapeutic |
curative; N. therapy |
| |
n thermal |
pertaining to heat; producing heat; warm; Ex. thermal bath; N: rising current of warm air |
| |
n thespian |
pertaining to drama; N: actor or actress |
| |
s drama |
prose or verse composition to be performed by actors; play; exciting and unusual situation |
| |
n thrall |
slave; bondage; slavery; Ex. Her beauty held him in thrall; CF. enthrall |
| |
n threadbare |
worn through till the threads show; shabby and poor; hackneyed; Ex. threadbare excuses |
| |
thrifty |
careful about money; economical; N. thrift |
| |
thrive |
prosper; flourish |
| |
throes |
violent anguish |
| |
n throng |
crowd (of people or things); V. |
| |
n throttle |
strangle; regulate the speed of with a throttle; N: valve that regulates the flow; CF. throat ? |
| |
s strangle |
kill by choking or suffocating; suppress |
| |
thwart |
block or hinder; baffle; frustrate |
| |
n tightwad |
miser; excessively frugal person |
| |
n tiller |
handle used to move boat's rudder (to steer) |
| |
n timbre |
quality of a musical tone produced by a musical instrument (which distinguishes it from others of the same pitch) |
| |
timidity |
lack of self-confidence or courage |
| |
timorous |
fearful; timid; demonstrating fear |
| |
n tipple |
drink (alcoholic beverages) frequently; N: alcoholic drink |
| |
n tirade |
long angry denunciatory speech; diatribe; harangue; extended scolding; denunciation |
| |
s tardy |
slow; sluggish; not on time; late; Ex. tardy arrival |
| |
titanic |
gigantic; N. titan |
| |
n tithe |
tax of one-tenth (contributed to a church); V: pay a tithe |
| |
n titillate |
tickle; excite pleasantly; Ex. not to titillate the audience but to enlighten it |
| |
s tickle |
touch (the body) lightly so as to cause laughter; please |
| |
title |
name (of a book, film, etc.); mark of rank; formal appellation as of rank or office (such as Lord or General); right or claim to possession; championship; Ex. title as head of the family; Ex. title to the estate |
| |
n titter |
nervous giggle; nervous laugh; V. |
| |
n titular |
of a title; in name only; nominal; having the title of an office without the obligations; Ex. titular head of the company |
| |
n toady |
servile flatterer; yes man; sycophant; V: be a toady to; fawn |
| |
n toga |
Roman outer robe |
| |
tome |
large volume; book |
| |
s handsome |
large in quantity; generous; Ex. handsome reward |
| |
n tonsure |
shaving of the head especially by person entering religious orders; V. |
| |
n topography |
physical features of a region (such as the shape and height); CF. topo-: place |
| |
s torpedo |
underwater explosive apparatus; V. |
| |
torpor |
lethargy; sluggishness; dormancy; ADJ. torpid: lethargic; lazy; inactive; (of an animal) dormant; hibernating |
| |
n torque |
twisting force; force producing rotation |
| |
n torrent |
rushing stream; flood; Ex. The rain fell in torrents. |
| |
n torrid |
(of weather) hot or scorching; passionate; Ex. torrid love affairs |
| |
n torso |
trunk of statue with head and limbs missing; human trunk |
| |
s trunk |
main wooden stem of a tree; human body excluding the head and limbs; torso; prehensile nose of an elephant |
| |
n tortuous |
winding; full of curves; Ex. tortuous mountain road |
| |
n totter |
shake or move unsteadily; sway as if about to fall |
| |
touchstone |
stone used to test the fineness of gold alloys; criterion; standard |
| |
n touchy |
oversensitive; easily offended; irasible; delicate; needing delicate handling; Ex. touchy situation |
| |
n tout |
promote or publicize (one's goods or service); praise excessively (as a form of advertisement); CF. advertise |
| |
toxic |
poisonous; N. toxicity |
| |
n tract |
propaganda pamphlet (esp. by a religious or political group); expanse of land; region of indefinite size; system of related organs; Ex. digestive tract |
| |
tractable |
docile; easily managed; (of something) easily changed or molded; N. tractability |
| |
traduce |
expose to slander |
| |
trajectory |
path taken by a projectile; Ex. trajectory of a bullet |
| |
s elevation |
elevated position; altitude; height; flat upright side of a building; angle made by pointing a gun; Ex. The elevation of her style is much admired; Ex. front elevation of the house |
| |
tranquillity |
calmness; peace |
| |
transcendent |
exceeding ordinary limits; superior; surpassing; V. transcend: go beyond; exceed; surpass; N. transcendancy |
| |
s transcendental |
going beyond common thought or ideas; impossible to understand by practical experiences or practices; known only by studying thoughts or intuition; OP. empirical; CF. transcendentalism |
| |
transcribe |
copy; write a copy of; N. transcription |
| |
transgression |
violation of a law; sin; V. transgress: go beyond (a limit); violate; do wrong |
| |
transient |
staying for a short time; momentary; temporary; N: one that is transient |
| |
transition |
going from one state of action to another |
| |
transitory |
transient; impermanent; fleeting; N. transitoriness |
| |
translucent |
partly transparent |
| |
transmute |
transform; change; convert to something different |
| |
transparent |
permitting light to pass through freely; easily detected; obvious; clear; Ex. transparent lie |
| |
n transpire |
(of a fact) become known; be revealed; happen; give off (watery waste matter) through pores |
| |
n transport |
strong emotion; rapture; Ex. in a transport/transports of; V: move to strong emotion; enrapture |
| |
n trappings |
outward decorations; ornaments (as an outward sign of rank) |
| |
n traumatic |
(of an experience) deeply shocking; pertaining to an injury caused by violence; N. trauma: serious wound; emotional shock that causes lasting psychological damage |
| |
n travail |
strenuous work; toil; painful labor; labor of childbirth |
| |
traverse |
go through or across |
| |
n travesty |
copy or example of something that completely misrepresents the true nature of the real thing; comical parody or imitation; treatment aimed at making something appear ridiculous; Ex. travesty of justice; OP. paragon |
| |
treatise |
article treating a subject systematically and thoroughly |
| |
n trek |
travel; journey; V: make a long difficult journey |
| |
tremor |
trembling; slight quiver (as of the earth or from nervous agitation) |
| |
tremulous |
trembling; wavering |
| |
trenchant |
cutting; incisive; keen |
| |
s furrow |
long shallow trench made by a plow; deep wrinkle in the skin; V. |
| |
trepidation |
fear; nervous apprehension |
| |
n tribulation |
suffering; ordeal; distress; trial |
| |
n tribunal |
court of justice |
| |
s tribune |
official of ancient Rome elected by the plebians to protect their rights; protector of the people |
| |
tribute |
tax levied by a ruler; payment made by one nation to another in acknowledgment of submission; mark of respect (such as praise or gift); Ex. pay tribute to |
| |
n trident |
three-pronged spear |
| |
s prong |
pointed projecting part |
| |
trifling |
trivial; unimportant |
| |
s trifle |
something of little importance or value; small amount; Ex. a trifle; V: treat without seriousness; flirt |
| |
trigger |
set off; start |
| |
n trilogy |
group of three related works (connected by a shared subject but each complete in itself) |
| |
n trinket |
knickknack; bauble; cheap jewelry |
| |
trite |
hackneyed; commonplace |
| |
trivia |
trifles; unimportant matters |
| |
n troth |
pledge of good faith especially in betrothal; betrothal; Ex. by my troth |
| |
n trough |
long narrow container for feeding farm animals; lowest point (of a wave, business cycle, etc.); long narrow depression as between waves |
| |
n truculence |
aggressiveness; ferocity; ADJ. truculent: aggressive; pugnacious; fierce |
| |
n truism |
self-evident truth |
| |
truncate |
cut the top off; shorten |
| |
n tryst |
meeting arranged by lovers; arrangement between lovers to meet |
| |
n tumid |
(of a part of the body) swollen; distended; bombastic; pompous |
| |
n overblown |
inflated; exaggerated |
| |
n tumult |
commotion of a great crowd; riot; noise; uproar; ADJ. tumultuous: noisy and disorderly |
| |
tundra |
rolling treeless plain in Siberia and arctic North America |
| |
s rolling |
(of land) rising and falling in long gentle slopes; happening continuously by stages; Ex. rolling devolution of power to local governments |
| |
n turbid |
(of a liquid) having the sediment disturbed; muddy; thick |
| |
turbulence |
state of violent agitation; ADJ. turbulent: violently agitated or disturbed |
| |
n tureen |
deep dish for serving soup |
| |
n turgid |
swollen; distended (as from liquid) |
| |
n turmoil |
extreme confusion; great commotion and confusion; Ex. throw the country into turmoil |
| |
n turncoat |
traitor |
| |
n turpitude |
depravity; baseness; Ex. moral turpitude |
| |
n tutelage |
guardianship; training; function of a tutor; instruction |
| |
n tutelary |
protective; pertaining to a guardianship; Ex. tutelary deities |
| |
n tycoon |
wealthy and powerful businessperson; wealthy leader; magnate; Ex. business tycoon |
| |
typhoon |
tropical hurricane or cyclone |
| |
tyranny |
oppression; cruel government; ADJ. tyrannical: of a tyrant or tyranny; despotic; V. tyrannize: treat tyrannically; oppress |
| |
tyro |
beginner; novice |
Share on Facebook
Share on MySpace